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A New Chapter: A Family of 6

So it’s been five days since we officially welcomed James* as a permanent member of our family, and I know that so many of you who have been praying so faithfully for us are wondering how we are doing. So here is an update: We are adjusting…just as with any adjustment, there are smooth days and rough spots, but we are marveling at the work we are seeing within our family. In the last five days, we have said “no” to several things and that has really been because we are still in a period of adjustment, so we are being a little careful not to do too much out of the ordinary while we are still learning each other.

Tim and I have been amazed at this process. My mind always goes to the worst-possible scenario, so when we began thinking adoption, I think I envisioned every possible terrible event, and pondered whether or not I’d be up to the challenge. I’m not going to say that this has been a totally seamless transition, because that doesn’t happen when broken hearts are involved, but what has happened is that God has been faithful to us. God has been with us every single step. And the child that we have been missing for seven years is with us. He is here, sitting in our living room, calling us “Mom and Dad” happily playing Legos with Isaac. When I look at him, I see God at work.

When we first started this journey, I worried about my biological children…would they be ok, are we ruining their lives? But the last couple of weeks have blown me away. They have shown me that we are all in this together, and they have shown me that they are strong and courageous. Because every time I see them accepting James as one of them without a second thought, I see God at work.

Our transition has been miraculous at best. I have heard all three of our biological children call me Mom for the first time when prompted by me but it is an entirely new experience to hear someone chose to call you that. I can’t express how amazing this experience has been. It is like a piece has been missing from our family that James just stepped right in and filled without breaking stride. It’s incredibly difficult trying to verbalize or write about what our family is going through right now….and this comes from a person whose words tend to flow better from her fingers rather than her mouth. The struggle between redemption and heartbreak playing out in your home is not something easily put into words. I don’t want to give a false impression that this has been super easy. What I want to be sure to say however is that there is no doubt that this was God’s plan for our family, that this little boy is a blessing to us all, and that our family is so much more complete with him in it. We continue to ask for your prayers, and we want you to know how much we have felt the prayers sent up on our behalf. Never before have I experienced the power of prayer more than in these last few months, and I thank you, friends and intercessors. Your ministry for the Lord is mighty in our lives right now.